All about Sigmoidoscopy

Sigmoidoscopy is a procedure conducted with the help of an instrument called sigmoidoscope. This instrument is approximately 60cm long and its width is about 1cm. The sigmoidoscope is inserted from the anus and is slowly elevated from the rectal area to the lower colon.

This procedure is carried out due to many reasons and one of the major reasons is if the patient is suffering from severe rectal bleeding. Other than that this procedure is also conducted to obtain biopsy which ultimately benefits in finding out whether a particular patient is suffering from colon cancer. Sometimes the same procedure is conducted to get appropriate results in diagnosing rectal cancer. It is appropriate to go through this procedure if your doctor has recommended it to you.

The process of sigmoidoscopy appears to be very complicated but it is not as complicated as people may assume. The patient who is scheduled to undergo such procedure is restricted by his physician or doctor to stop eating food a couple of hours before the procedure. Sometimes liquid diets are recommended so that if any faecal matter is left in the colon could be cleared out which may hinder in performing the procedure.

It is very important for the patient and the doctor to have proper understanding with each other. The patient should make the doctor aware of his or her full medical history so that the procedure is done in an appropriate manner. Similarly the doctor should make sure that the patient is aware of the full procedure beforehand in order to avoid any issues during the procedure. Because sometimes patients do not consider it important to make their doctors aware of their previous medical history and for that reason they might sometimes suffer from severe infections after the procedure is performed.

Many people wrongly assume that this procedure is considerably painful but in reality this assumption is totally wrong. The whole procedure is not painful at all the patient might feel a bit of pressure or bloating during the procedure but even afterwards there are no signs of pain at all. In some cases patients complaint about cramping muscles but even that is considered to be normal. So, don’t get afraid if your doctor has suggested this procedure it is a very painless procedure that is completed in just a couple of minutes time.

Hence, sigmoidoscopy is a very normal procedure that is conducted to evaluate the condition of colon and rectum. If you are experiencing changes in your bowel movements or if you are suffering from severe rectal bleeding then you must consult your doctor immediately because you may be suffering from illness related to your colon or rectum. It is better to get this procedure done if your doctor has recommended it to you because otherwise you may suffer from severe illnesses in the long run.